49 replies to this topic

[Charli]

That requires telling your parents youre gay.
And most people wouldn't tell your parents theyre being bullied whether or not theyre gay

Thats true, most kids won't tell their parents they are being bullied, and very few would tell them if it meant telling them they're gay. But I think its up to the parents to notice if their kid seems depressed at times, reluctant to go to school, or doesn't have many (or any) friends. I notice if something is up with my roommates, or my sister growing up. Imo, if someone is unhappy you can usually tell, especially if you're living with them.

[Inver]

Well I'm really happy to come back and find so many positive opinions on this thread. It really gives me hope and encourages me to continue to fight for 'gay' rights with my group. I lead/led both QSA (Queer Student Alliances) at both my high school and college and have always prided it for being a community to come to as an ambiguous supporter of queer oriented individuals or as any individual fighting for social justice. I say queer, because of the complexity of sexual orientation seems to be constantly evolving (A can of worms I don't really want to get into - plus using queer encompasses everyone).

As far as legislation goes against bullying - putting it on the parents of the bullies will accomplish nothing. Ignorance and hatred only breeds more ignorance and hatred. The children develop homophobia because of the way they are brought up. 80% of the time, parents will share the elitist, racist, sexist, homophobic views of their children (and that's probably an understatement). If you want to stop bullying in the schools, you put that responsibility on the teachers. If it is a part of their job description to be mindful of the well being of the students, then the issue would be solved - not due to morality - but due to necessity.

[EveMazing]

Many of you make some really good points but when it comes down to it, I want to be able to live in a world where I can go anywhere with my girlfriend and be like every other couple in the world. The point is that we shouldn't HAVE TO hide who we are just to feel safe. It shouldn't be that way. But unfortunately much of the world is hateful and close minded and too stuck on religion and their own prejudices and that's just how it is. I hope that one day things will be different, and all though that may be a tad naive, I believe hope is one of the most important things we can have in life. Hope keeps me going. I don't know. Just sharing my thoughts :]

[Abradix]

I got no problem with gay people, unless they're flamboyant... And if thats the case I'm not laughing because they're gay, I'm laughing because they're silly as fuck. Its fine to laugh at the way lesbians dress, its fine to laugh at a tranny's mutilated genitalia, its part of the First Amendment.

PDAs were mentioned earlier in the thread, I think Frizzle nailed it:

Also, gay people shouldn't make out in public. Just like straight people. I don't want to see tounge fights, regardless of sexuality.

I call people out every time I see this crap. It shows a complete lack of class. A tiny kiss is fine, but don't suck fucking face like a Dyson... My friend and her boyfriend always make a spectacle of themselves... I kinda lost it a couple days ago and told them in my outdoor-voice how disgusting it is and that they need to learn that there is a time and a place, and its not fuckin right now. My girlfriend backed me up, but sure enough they were back at it 10 minutes later so I kicked them out of my house. The girlfriend and I finished dinner, and proceeded to follow their lead, the difference being that we were alone. I implore everyone to point out how gross this shit is every time they see it in public. Probably my biggest pet peeve.

[Nymh]

I implore everyone to point out how gross this shit is every time they see it in public. Probably my biggest pet peeve.

I agree with you.

I find it funny that this the very next post I read after seeing a picture of someone vomiting on another thread.

[Jake]

How about grow some balls and kick your bullies asses? Gay or not you're just asking to get bullied when you can be thrown out a window by a breeze.

[Applepi]

Many of you make some really good points but when it comes down to it, I want to be able to live in a world where I can go anywhere with my girlfriend and be like every other couple in the world. The point is that we shouldn't HAVE TO hide who we are just to feel safe. It shouldn't be that way. But unfortunately much of the world is hateful and close minded and too stuck on religion and their own prejudices and that's just how it is. I hope that one day things will be different, and all though that may be a tad naive, I believe hope is one of the most important things we can have in life. Hope keeps me going. I don't know. Just sharing my thoughts :]

I've hand loong conversations with some of my gay friends about this issue. I did my undergrad in Madison, WI which is generally a VERY liberal-gay-friendly area and it was amazing to me to hear stories from my gays (yes, they belong to me ) about how they had never been on a "public date" until they went there for school. I would never think of going to Denny's with a date would be uncomfortable, but to a gay person, they have to balance the risks and benefits.

This also makes me think of a show called "what would you do" in which the host sets up various situations (that happen fairly commonly) to see how people react. One of the scenarios was of a pair of drag queens who go into a cafe for some coffee and the waiter basically starts telling them to leave b/c "their kind" wasn't welcome. A few other customers also chimed in, some saying they just didn't want a scene. The only person who said anything in defense of the drag queens was a woman who was 8 months pregnant who berated the waiter for being so closed minded. The really interesting part was when the people who didn't do anything or ask the people to leave were told it was a show, they all said the same thing, they just didn't want to cause any problems. It made me so mad that this is the mentality that people have. They'd rather go with the accepted social norm than speak out on behalf of someone who's just trying to live life.

[Junsu]

Its fine to laugh at the way lesbians dress, its fine to laugh at a tranny's mutilated genitalia, its part of the First Amendment.

Some people are both that way .__.

How about grow some balls and kick your bullies asses? Gay or not you're just asking to get bullied when you can be thrown out a window by a breeze.

Oh its just 10v1, nbd.

[iargue]

I lol'd.

It's more accepted in certain places than others. Here in Winnipeg it's not big of a deal; you will honestly get stared at but I haven't heard of any hate crimes thusly. it's more just pretentious staring more than anything.

Truth is. They heard you were gay, and are checking you out now.

[Abradix]

Some people are both that way .__.

People that are born that way are hermaphrodites. Transsexuals are people who made a conscious decision to mutilate themselves.

How about grow some balls and kick your bullies asses? Gay or not you're just asking to get bullied when you can be thrown out a window by a breeze.

Lol. Internet tough guy.

[EveMazing]

Oh its just 10v1, nbd.

>.< Exactly. Telling a gay kid to stand up to the bullies is like telling a surfer to put his head in a sharks mouth. :|

[fallendevilz]

Screw that for a giggle.. Why shouldn't they stand up for themselves? Obviously if it's a group of people or something like those circumstances then no..
Then again you hear of kids standing up to bullies and end up getting stabbed or beaten to death

I was bullied in school ( about 7 years ago) for being a 'goth'... Wearing make-up and having long hair didn't really help my cause XD
But I got the kid 1-on-1 and beat the hell out of him, he never even looked at me again.. Infact, I think he got bullied after that for being beaten by a 'goth'..

Eitherway, different cases need different attention and solutions.
Kids will always be kids, School will never change, no matter how many 'bills' are passed.

Just my opinion.

Fallen.

[EveMazing]

Yeah it does depend on the situation. Luckily for me I've never been bullied for my sexuality. But I think that's because most people get to know that I'm a really nice, loving, fun person before they find out I'm a lesbian or bisexual, whatever I am. I have been made fun of plenty for lots of things since I'm kind of a freak, but never bullied. And I don't really care what people say about me anyway. But not everyone is as fortunate I guess.

Edited by EveMazing, 16 November 2011 - 08:51 AM.

[Boggart]

Is high-school bullying really THAT bad in America? I don't mean just for gay kids. I mean for just being different and stuff. I know that here there's very little bullying, and what little there is of it is emotional bullying for people who are "weird", but rarely anything physical. And we're the murder capital of Canada o.o

[Thepeopleschampion]

This is my opinion I HATE GAYZ i cannot be around them i just cant be friends with them i dont bully them but i keep my distance there like viruses

[Boggart]

This is my opinion I HATE GAYZ i cannot be around them i just cant be friends with them i dont bully them but i keep my distance there like viruses

judging on the way you act around here, I'm not surprised if gay people, and straight people for that matter, feel the same way of you.

[Inver]

Is high-school bullying really THAT bad in America? I don't mean just for gay kids. I mean for just being different and stuff. I know that here there's very little bullying, and what little there is of it is emotional bullying for people who are "weird", but rarely anything physical. And we're the murder capital of Canada o.o

It's as bad as it is anywhere I suppose. Certain geographical regions that hold a strong religious base are surely worse than others.

[fallendevilz]

judging on the way you act around here, I'm not surprised if gay people, and straight people for that matter, feel the same way of you.

+1

[EveMazing]

judging on the way you act around here, I'm not surprised if gay people, and straight people for that matter, feel the same way of you.

kudos

[Inver]

This is my opinion I HATE GAYZ i cannot be around them i just cant be friends with them i dont bully them but i keep my distance there like viruses

No one likes you.

[Stunnerrunner]

I agree with OP that a little bullying makes you stronger. I'm not gay, but I took a lot of bullcrap in school for other stuff. In the end, I realized that everyone that messed with me was just small in the pants, and it made me a better person. I would say if you don't get bullied, you don't really know how to deal with it when it does come along. JMO

As for people being bullied because they're gay, it's on an entirely different playing field. People are allowed to choose what they want to be in life, and others shouldn't criticize them. In fact, maybe the people who bully are just jealous they can't be as open. Again, my opinion.

Edited by Stunnerrunner, 17 November 2011 - 12:37 PM.

[baby0firefly]

Bulling shouldn't be tolerated at all. Some people have anger issues from being bullied as a kid. Gay or not I don't like extreme PDA, that's just gross to me. I have a friend that is going through a personality crisis and doesn't know if he's gay or bi. He lives in backwoods country and I think it's terrible that he thinks he has to go through keeping that secret alone. It wears down on him and makes him depressed. I don't think anyone should hide who they are for any reason. Who cares anyways, who are you trying to impress? It only counts how you feel about yourself. If I were gay I wouldn't care who liked it or not and I would just be me. My brother realized he was gay when he was 12. He grew up in the same back woods state as my friend, was open about being gay, graduated at a christian academy and got homecoming king. It depends on what type of person you choose to be. I know some people just have low self esteem as well. I'm just say not all backwoods hillbilly places will shoot you lol.

[Bone]

I think this thread has lost focus. The OP's point was that Michigan's legislature is saying it's okay to bully if you can half-ass a 'religious' excuse for it. They're victimizing the bullies, and sending the message that it's okay to hate gay people because they're gay.


(reason #943 I'm leaving this state)

[MisterDerp]

I agree with OP that a little bullying makes you stronger. I'm not gay, but I took a lot of bullcrap in school for other stuff. In the end, I realized that everyone that messed with me was just small in the pants, and it made me a better person. I would say if you don't get bullied, you don't really know how to deal with it when it does come along. JMO

As for people being bullied because they're gay, it's on an entirely different playing field. People are allowed to choose what they want to be in life, and others shouldn't criticize them. In fact, maybe the people who bully are just jealous they can't be as open. Again, my opinion.

A little bullying is fine only if you can get higher-ups to actually help you, IMO. I was in a rather unfortunate situation where my sister would threaten me with a stun gun and kids would harass me daily but my babysitter said "LOL THEY HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU" and punishing my sister never worked so I never got justice done to the people who bullied me. I figured me getting in trouble for reacting was normal so I had to bottle up my distress, which hasn't done me much good over the years.

Jesus fuck I edit my posts a lot.

Edited by MisterDerp, 20 November 2011 - 05:07 PM.

[AyoForYayo]

Maybe it's terrible thing to say, but people should just stay closeted till after high school in most circumstances. Sure it sucks, but it's sorta requried to survive

Meh, but that's the reason why it's harder for those who are gay to come out. If all the gays came out during highschool it would probably become more "normal" than like one, token gay kid.


When I was in High School there were a few gay kids, they didn't get bullied but I think that's probably because I live in the New York suburban area which is typically a bit more liberal. One of my best guy friends is gay and came out in High School & he never had any problems.